The Crown of the Sole King, the Crown of the King of Ten Thousand Races… Such a thing could probably only be made by Mohe in the world.

If others were to create this crown, its symbolic significance might outweigh its actual significance. For instance, taking something from the kings of each race, like scales, feathers, hair... or perhaps bringing together "totems" from various races and forging them into one.

But Mohe is different.

If she is to forge something symbolizing the "Sole King", it must have a corresponding "symbol", possessing the authority to control the power of various races.

This thing should not be very useful for her and Doro.

However… as a form of authority…

"Hmm, it indeed should be so."

Mohe approved the proposal of the Wise King, and she said to her: "Go collect the blood of various races. I will use all my skills and wisdom to create a Supreme Crown. This matter needs to be announced to the world."

...

"Supreme Crown? Sole King?"

"Yes, honorable Human King, this is news passed from the Demon King's side. It's said the Demon King has gone back to Butuo City to use the power of the volcano and the World Tree there to forge such a crown. The crown will have the power to rule over all races."

The smile surfaced on Doro's face: "Very good, this is very good. The King of Ten Thousand Races, the Sole King, not just the Human King, nor just the Demon King, but truly ruling over this world. The Demon King once ruled this world, but she should not have done such a thing. She loved various races— And for me, to do such a thing now, is truly an honor. Let our belonging races cooperate as well. This crown will definitely belong to me."

"As you command."

...

"The Sole Crown! He shouldn't agree to such a thing!" After Charlette heard the news, she couldn't help but say, "If such a crown is created, and should Mohe decide not to face him head-on but instead use the lives of many races in the world to coerce him into suicide, that would be very bad. It's equivalent to handing his own handle to Mohe!"

"What use are your words now? Can you stop him or stop Mohe? Do you think now that you've spoken, he will listen like before?"

Alchemy "elements" were swirling around Adeline. Those elemental lights constantly drifted within her body as she continually transformed, recomposed, and sifted: "If you truly worry about this happening, succeed quickly, then stop the Demon King. I still think it was a wrong decision for you to leave the Church. When in the Church, at least you could summon the Goddess to stop such situations, unlike now, feeling powerless— If Mohe intends to use this to threaten Doro, then do you think, could such a thing threaten you?"

Charlette was momentarily speechless.

"If you want to do something, you must decide within a short time. If you keep waiting, merely giving so-called advice, once this thing happens, talking about right and wrong has no meaning."

Adeline's face showed not the slightest wavering: "You've always been this way, Charlette, you're always waiting. When in the Hero's party, you waited for his confession, but you didn't get it. After you betrayed him, you waited for his 'realization', waited for his 'forgiveness', you still didn't get it. Now, do you hope that someone will go in your place to tell him what's not right after saying just one sentence? Are you joking?"

Adeline's words were sharper than Charlette imagined: "I've heard, the most ridiculous thing is, when he came to face you, you told him you planned to marry the Wise King, so if he remained that drunk, doing nothing, would you marry the Wise King?"

"The engagement to the Wise King wasn't from personal feelings, but from the overall situation of the White Church and the Human Central Empire. There was a need to do so, wasn't there?"

"Oh, so you think this is right? Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"What?"

"I once bought into your nonsense, thinking your ideas, your actions, your approach were all right, all to make others happier, and it was a goal for me to move forward. On reflection, it's laughable, Charlette."

Adeline's smile was quite bitter, she said it was laughable but was really laughing at herself: "You always find yourself noble excuses. Seeing him and the Demon King in such a state, you feared he would become the Demon King, you said there couldn't be another Demon King in the world, then you plotted that betrayal with Adriana whose mind was unknown at the time. You said, for the big picture of humanity and the White Church, you had to engage with the Wise King, you said for humanity's great cause, you massacred the Lizardman Kingdom — I now must ask, why is humanity the big picture, why is the White Church the big picture?"

She continued without waiting for Charlette to speak: "I can guess with my toes what you're going to say: because you and I are humans, so humanity is our big picture, because the White Church was born under the great Goddess' revelation, devoutly serving the Goddess, so the White Church is the big picture. Right? But essentially, aren't these all just situations where your position determines your perspective, based on your standing and the times? How do you crown yourself with greatness? How do you place yourself high above, believing yourself right? It's one thing to fool those who follow you, but if you believe it yourself, how do you think you are truly without deceit?"

Charlette had never thought the previously perceived young girl could say such things to her. In this moment, she finally had the realization that the Adeline before her was no longer the girl who trailed behind them.

Unlike herself—she had challenged the Church with her own will, challenged Doro, challenged the Demon King. Ultimately leading herself to be turned into a statue.

She was the president of the Alchemist Association, she had long possessed independent will, and was not lacking in courage and wisdom.

"I asked Doro about human alchemy, he told me if human alchemy could really reach Mohe's domain, then the Demon King would surely be expectant, even offering help. Because sitting in that position is so lonely, it's such a long wait for something to appear that could catch his eye, whether it's a person or something else."

Adeline's eyes were downcast: "So Charlette, tell me, what are you waiting for, what path do you seek? Even if you pave it and walk your path, what do you wish to do with such a path, such power? The reason we two can be here now is that Doro is looking forward to our results. He is looking forward to us challenging him once more — pleasing him is the meaning of our existence now."

When saying this, Adeline felt her heart ache in bursts, but she still said: "Things have long since changed, Charlette. Our relationship, our meaning to each other, our value... To Doro, it has long since changed!"

A lot of things have long since changed…

Charlette should know this, she should have a clear understanding of it, but perhaps… perhaps, she still hadn't truly seen it this way, truly considered this matter.

...

Rastina has recently enjoyed quite a prominent status, and sometimes she finds it rather subtle.

Simply put, she neither represents the Demon King nor the Human King but acts as an intermediary — any matters requiring notification between the Demon King's forces and the Human King's forces pass through Rastina's hands.

This is quite a significant authority, prompting merchants around the world to congregate… Rastina hardly needs to do anything, and a force called "The Intermediary" quietly emerges. This sudden arrival of power leaves Rastina at a loss.

But she is very clear that this power is not her own, but is attached to the Demon King, attached to the Human King. It is because she, Rastina, became a part of Mohe's mansion by chance and luck, and happened to have no too deep connection with either Mohe or Doro, thus making the choice possible.

She is not the true holder of power.

Thus, the arrival of such power makes her particularly cautious, she knows clearly what a heavy task the position of intermediary between the Demon King's forces and the Human King's forces bears, and how alluring the benefits brought by such power are… but a single careless mistake could lead to everything's destruction.

In the event of any oversight, due to transmitting messages as an intermediary, feeling a sense of significance, she could be obliterated in an instant. The Demon King and the Human King do not actually need her strength.

It's quite possible they've both already overlooked the existence of someone called Rastina. Rastina is sure that in the eyes of those two, perhaps only each other remains now.

All others are just scenery. If anyone among them disturbs the interaction between those two, disrupts their "struggle"… though Rastina personally feels using the term "flirting" is more appropriate.

In short, if there's an issue among the "Intermediary" forces, then even if all intermediaries are slain, she believes neither the Demon King nor the Human King would spare another glance.

Her understanding of people may be shallow, but in such matters, she has some grasp.

Hence, Rastina has become particularly stringent lately.

She wishes to prevent any unexpected situations from arising.

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